Arsenal have agreed move for director of football - but last-minute u-turn could scupper deal: report

Arsenal have been on the lookout for a new sporting director since Edu Gaspar’s surprise exit earlier this season.

The Brazilian called time on his five-year spell leading the club’s player recruitment in November, which meant that the club had to negotiate the January transfer window with Jason Ayto operating in an interim role.

The club’s lack of transfer activity has been questioned in recent weeks following the season-ending injury to forward Kai Havertz which has left the team with no fit strikers as they struggle to bridge the gap to leaders Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table.

Arsenal facing late Milan hijack bid

Boss Mikel Arteta has been forced into using midfielder Mikel Merino as a makeshift forward in recent weeks, with the team missing a cutting-edge up front during Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford this weekend.

A number of names have been linked with the vacant sporting director post in recent weeks, including Real Sociedad director Roberto Olabe and Paris Saint-Germain advisor Luis Campos.

But this weekend saw another name emerge as a number of media outlets reported that former Atletico Madrid sporting director Andrea Berta was set to take the job.

Berta spent 12 years with Atletico, during which time he was able to complete expensive, big-name transfers sich as last summer’s £64million move for Julian Alvarez from Manchester City, while also having an eye for a bargain, with the likes of Jan Oblak (a €4million signing from Benfica in 2014) and the €25million signing of midfielder Rodri from Villarreal in 2019 two notable additions.

While reports at the weekend suggested an appointment was close, Arsenal are having to fend off a late effort from Serie A side AC Milan for the 53-year-old, according to Corriere della Sera.

They claim that Milan, who are well aware of Arsenal’s move for Berta, but are looking to hijack the deal at the last minute, as he is their ‘favourite’ candidate.

Milan’s search for a new sporting director has expanded in recent days as the club looks to arrest a slide this season which currently sees them sitting ninth in the Serie A table. Fabio Paratici and Igli Tare are said to have dropped off their shortlist, with Tony D’Amico another alternative to Berta.

In FourFourTwo’s view, news of this late effort from Milan appears to be a case of too little, too late from the struggling Rossoneri. Arsenal’s recruitment process appears to have been a far more rigorous affair and the club must now nail down a deal with Berta so he can get to work ahead of what will be a vital summer transfer window for Mikel Arteta’s side.